Festival organisers have weathered the March storm that thwarted their attempt at hosting the first large-scale music event at Scarborough Beach’s Amphitheatre in more than decade, and are hoping for a dry return run this November.
Scarborough Beach Weekender’s debut was called off at the eleventh hour due to the threat of Cyclone Alfred, and remarkably went ahead just weeks later in April while retaining most if its original acts.
Excited to reprise the laid back showcase less than eight months on, Palace J Entertainment owner Jaylee Osborne hailed her “team of working mums” for making the right call under pressure earlier this year, and winning the community’s support upon delivering on their second attempt.
“It was a whirlwind and easily one of the most intense weeks of my career,” Ms Osborne told PerthNow.
“We were balancing advice from multiple stakeholders while watching forecasts predict destructive winds and seeing the community brace for impact.”
Ms Osborne will be hoping for smooth sailing on the approach to summer, with a two-day live music spectacle set for November 28-29.
Revellers will be able to watch the sun set from Scarborough Beach’s Amphitheatre with a wine in hand as an impressive list of Aussie and New Zealand artists take the stage.
Saturday’s adults-only event is headlined by Kiwi rock-reggae group Six60, alongside their island-grooving compatriots The Black Seeds.
Enduring Aussie voice Christine Anu — singer of My Island Home — is also to feature, alongside Perth’s own gospel and R&B talent Drea, who emerged as a top 12 finisher on Australian Idol in 2024.
At Sunday’s all-ages spectacle, families will watch the sun disappear behind surf-folk favourite Ziggy Alberts, who will be supported by indie-pop artist Sons of the East, and singer-songwriter Gretta Ray.
Freo’s DJ collective Ningaloo Records will end the evening on a party note for beachgoers keen to dance the night away.
In 2016, the beginning of the coastal strip’s major redevelopment largely spelled the end for live music at the popular hangout.
But Ms Osborne — a Scarborough local — was proud to be the one to bring music back to the masses after more than ten years.
“There hadn’t been a concert of this scale at the amphitheatre for a decade, and before the City of Stirling released the site for tender they underwent community consultation to understand whether the local community wanted major concerts to return. The response was a clear yes,” Ms Osborne said.
“When we won the tender, we wanted to create an event that genuinely reflected Scarborough’s beach culture rather than simply placing another festival brand on the foreshore. I think we’ve created something that feels authentic to the location, and that’s why people have embraced it.”
Far from the festival organiser’s first professional foray at the beach, Ms Osborne said seeing fans rock out in her neighbourhood again “feels like coming home”.
“It’s rewarding and quite nostalgic for me,” she said.
“Early in my career, while working for someone else, I created Sets on the Beach and we held 20 odd events at the Scarborough Beach Amphitheatre.”
With a long wish list of potential artists, Ms Osborne does not expect any one genre to be anchored to her sun-drenched stage.
Just like the diverse raft of tourists the hot spot welcomes, so too will be type of music echoing across it.
“Our goal is to keep evolving the event and bring a diverse mix of artists over the coming years, so every type of music fan has a chance to experience what we’re building,” she declared.
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